Washington, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The General Secretariat of the Arab League has welcomed the vote by 152 countries in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution rejecting the US decision to prevent the delegation of the State of Palestine from participating in the work of the General Assembly’s 81st session.
The resolution called on Washington to reverse its decision, describing the move as an explicit violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement.
In a statement, the General Secretariat said the vote reflected broad international opposition to depriving the State of Palestine of its right to present its voice and position before the international community. It also stressed the importance of ensuring Palestinian participation in the work of the United Nations and other international forums.
The Arab League commended the countries that sponsored and voted in favor of the resolution, emphasizing that the United States, as the host country, is bound by its obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement to ensure the unhindered participation of delegations in the work of the international organization.
The Arab League stressed that the Palestinian voice will continue to be heard from the UN platform, describing the broad international support for the resolution as evidence that the international community stands firmly behind the presence of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian cause in the work of the international organization, as well as the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The vote came after the United States decided to prevent the Palestinian state delegation from entering US territory to participate in the work of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The decision triggered strong Palestinian and international protests, as the United States, in its capacity as host country of the UN headquarters, is obligated to facilitate the entry of official delegations participating in the organization’s work.
The UN Headquarters Agreement governs relations between the United Nations and the United States and includes obligations concerning facilitating access to the UN headquarters for representatives of member states so they can participate in its meetings and activities.
